Dusk Street had once been a thriving industrial city.
Factories brought a massive number of jobs. The goods they produced fed back into the people's livelihoods. Steel and sparks drove the city's economy into rapid prosperity. The people who lived here were filled with hope for the future.
But that was already a story from ten years ago.
Now, Dusk Street was a city where wealth and crime coexisted. The land had become a mess. The widening gap between rich and poor meant the wealthy reveled in song and dance, while the impoverished struggled in misery.
Here, the poor could not see the rich.
The rich were either seated in luxury cars or attending banquets. Even their attendants were carefully selected from other regions, bearing no connection to the locals of Dusk Street.
And here, the rich could not see the poor.
In the eyes of the rich, the poor were not even people—merely cheap commodities, parasites consuming resources.
External financial conglomerates monopolized the city's future, suppressing factories that refused to comply. The remaining ones became lapdogs of the tycoons, squeezing out the last drops of value from the workers.
Now, the European conglomerates led by the Five Major Groups were preparing to strip away the last remaining value of this place.
They would purchase the so-called "idle land" at low prices and drive the low-value people into even more desolate corners—such as the unfinished construction districts.
The people of Dusk Street were furious.
But they were powerless.
This division conference even involved the European government.
Protests and demonstrations were suppressed by soldiers wielding tear gas. Those who were not arrested could only stare in despair at the Dusk Street Theater, surrounded layer upon layer by armed troops.
This building, praised by the government as Dusk Street's landmark cultural sanctuary, was seen by the locals as a symbol of evil capital.
At this very moment, those greedy devils inside were signing contracts to carve up the flesh and soul of the people.
Just as some furious citizens roared at the soldiers, desperately awaiting the outcome of the European conglomerate meeting—
A massive top hat rose above the dome of Dusk Street Theater, floating in midair like a hot air balloon.
Only those with sharp eyes could make out the silhouette of a voluptuous girl standing atop the hat.
Inside the theater, executives from various groups cursed loudly.
Above the theater, the girl's laughter rang out clear and bright.
"Thank you for your enthusiasm, dear audience. But the curtain has already fallen. I'll graciously accept your tips and your screams~"
She snapped her fingers.
Clap!
The lid of the enormous top hat flipped open.
Countless green pounds burst forth like a fountain, transforming into a rain of banknotes that showered across all of Dusk Street.
Paper fluttered like fireworks, decorating the twilight sky.
In an instant, the entire street was blanketed in green currency—a breathtaking spectacle.
On the streets, everyone forgot what they had been doing.
Pairs of eyes stared fixedly at the rain of green notes drifting down from the magic hat.
For them, it was utterly shocking.
"Oh my God... I'm not dreaming, am I?"
"Clothes! Luxury cars! Jewelry!"
"What's happening? What's happening?!"
An elderly woman with white hair and thin clothing trembled as she carried a large woven sack. A satisfied smile spread across her face.
"It's real pounds... My grandson's illness can be treated now."
Outside the theater, people went mad, scrambling to gather the green notes.
Even the once-imposing soldiers degenerated into greedy ruffians, fighting to seize the paper money.
The roads were filled with scraps of paper and faces twisted with avarice.
Chaos reigned.
Inside the theater, the situation was no better.
Phones rang incessantly.
Voices overlapped in panic.
The incoming news was devastating.
The directors' company shares had been dumped at low prices.
Transaction funds had vanished without a trace.
The theater was plunged into turmoil.
"It's all because that woman's performance was too spectacular. I didn't even notice the email notifications!"
"Who gave her the signature and the company seal?"
"It must have been during company registration at entry! The organizers never even required that!"
"Wasn't that magician your secretary?"
"Are you joking? I saw her chatting with you just fine, and then she turned around and approached me. I thought she was your secretary!"
The previously elegant industry magnates now argued red-faced.
Soon, they were cursing Vill-V as the most evil criminal of the century.
Among the crowd outside, some began recalling a memory from several years ago.
There had once been a young female magician on Dusk Street.
Like the girl today, she had possessed extraordinary magical skills. After swindling money from the local tyrants of Dusk Street, she had disappeared.
As the rumors spread, tales of this great magician circulated throughout Dusk Street.
She was said to be a righteous phantom thief, known as [Miss Justice Phantom Thief Magician].
But none of that concerned Pardofelis.
When it came to who was the fastest and most efficient at picking up money, Little Cat Pardofelis was unmatched.
"Someone's throwing money! Someone's throwing money! Hurry and grab more—if you're late, it'll all be gone!"
Pardo darted through the streets and alleys with a heavily patched sack in hand.
The clutter piled everywhere did nothing to slow her down.
She was like a gust of wind.
Where she passed, not a single pound was left behind—including the pounds in the wallets of those she brushed past.
"Someone's throwing money! Someone's throwing money!"
"Who are you calling an idiot throwing money?"
The vanished Vill-V suddenly appeared in front of Pardo.
Sure enough, wherever there was money, Pardo would be there.
So long as one observed where the money was densest and disappearing the fastest, one would always find her.
Having just finished her performance, the lingering thrill still gleamed on Vill-V's face.
She was about to strike up a conversation, but Pardo did not even glance at her and sped straight past.
Just as she passed, Pardo paused for the briefest instant.
Then she let out an awkward "Ehehe~" and bolted away.
Vill-V looked at her wrist.
Her mechanical watch had somehow fallen off.
Fortunately, she had installed three layers of anti-theft locks.
Within that fleeting instant just now, Pardo had already sliced through two of them by unknown means.
Vill-V did not know whether to laugh or sigh.
I give you money, and you try to steal from me.
In terms of agility, among the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, Pardo would rank second.
Only Sakura would dare claim first.
After confirming that her undergarments were still intact, Vill-V let out a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, the tracker had already been stolen along with the watch.
She would find Pardo soon enough.
Pardo's little nest was located in a dead-end alley.
The shack was built from worn cardboard and wooden planks, with a dark sheet of plastic draped over the top to block rain.
The interior was cramped—just enough space for a battered bed and a small cabinet.
Pardo sat on a tattered sofa outside, counting her spoils.
"One hundred sixty-six, one hundred sixty-seven... Wow, I'm rich! With this much money, how much bread can I buy? Granny Rosa can be saved too!"
Beside her were various odds and ends she had casually "picked up."
Once sold, they should cover her living expenses for quite some time.
Any surplus, Pardo would distribute to those in greater need—such as Granny Rosa.
"Little Pardo~"
A chill ran down Pardo's spine.
She looked up and saw a smiling face peering down from atop her shack.
At a single glance, she recognized the strange woman who had blocked her path earlier.
"Th-this... esteemed customer, what can I help you with?"
Pardo hurriedly swept the items on the ground under the sofa, then sat atop the bulging cushions, her voice trembling.
Vill-V descended lightly like a dragonfly, her smile radiant as sunlight.
"Oh dear, oh dear. I've been tracked down. No escape now... Your expression really gives everything away, Felis."
Cold sweat trickled down Pardo's back.
She instinctively shifted backward, causing the precious treasure beneath her to shift as well.
"C-customer... h-how do you know my name?"
"Oh? Did Uncle Kandal introduce you to me?"
"I've just stocked a lot of new goods. You can take a look—I've got everything!"
Pardo fumbled through a nearby cardboard box, pulling out small trinkets.
On the surface, she seemed to be searching for items to display.
In reality, she was rummaging through her "treasure chest" for a means of escape.
Vill-V's smile remained bright, her eyes brimming with warmth and affection.
Her hand slowly slid to Pardo's waist.
Then, with lightning speed, she wrapped her arms around Pardo and pulled her tightly into an embrace, pressing Pardo's face straight into the soft fullness at her chest, trapping her head in between.
Pardo's body trembled like a startled cat. Her breathing grew uneven as her face was buried, the warmth and pressure leaving her momentarily out of breath.
A faint, muffled mutter escaped her lips.
"It's over... I'm caught. There's no getting away now..."